Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-07-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, July %, 1887

that distinguish it over all oil the
large cities of the United States.
Washington can claim the unenvl-
able notoriety Of being the grand
focus of most OF the eranks of the
country they seem to drift here as
naturally as water finds its level.
Perhaps the poor creatures are at
/ tracted by the big stone buildings
and those high in authority. but
fancied grievances are doubtless the
chief impelling forces, which in
| fiuence them to cast their fortunes
with the denizens of the Capital.
The imaginary wrongs aud the inn
possible desires OF these miserable
and misguided beings, assume many
forms and shapes: first, and most
dangerous, is the wild-eyedindividual
of the Guiteau type--we have had
at least two OF these to the front in
the past month--one was confined
in the lunatic asylum for threatening
the Presidents life, another was no
sooner dismissed from the same in
stitution than he deliberately, and
without a word of warning, murder
ed one of the best and oldest citi-
zens of Washington, on crowded
street in broad daylight; and, only
two days since, still another crank
was found kneeling on the steps of
the White house and acting in a
mysterious manner. Other classes
of cranks are the would be-inventors
of perpetual motion, and of ocean
ballooning, who haunt the Patent
Office; office.seekers, and female
claimants who habitually hang
around the doors of the heads OF De-
partments, seeking in vain, month
after month, to unburden them
selves of their stories of sorrow and
suffering and of hopes long cherish
ed, but still as bright as ever. i
know, that as a rule, women do not
commit crimes against the person,
but often notice dark and oninous
CLEANS in the hollow, sunken eyes of
these unfortunates, behind which
seem to Turk shadows of desperate
deeds, and some day their diseased
brains will develop the murderous
mania-then woe to the victims of
the human tigress.
The count of the cash in the
Treasury, begun about two months
ago, was completed this week, and
was only found short S2.40, in bag
containing gold coin, which is be-
lieved to be the result Of an error
when the amount was first counted
the tag showed the name of the
clerk, who made the original count,
and he promptly made good the
efficiency. The sum is so small that
che Democrats can make no political
capital out of the count.
The heads Of the several Depart
ments and the local telephone CON-
pany are having their same old dis.
| pute over the excessive rates exact
ed for their service in the city land so
far, the former decline to submit to
the companies new scheme Of equal.
ization, which, as matter OF course,
involves an increase of charges.
The Postmaster General, under
whose direction the contract for all
Government telephoning is made
throughout the whole country, is
authority for the announcement that
the entire expence annual yon that
account is not in eccess Of the sum
now paid by the United States for
telepboning in the District Of Col.
umbia alone.
Like Banquo's ghost, the Todd
clerical scandal will not down. 1t
will be remembered by our readers,
that the Reverend Gentleman was
lately tried in this city, by number
of his ministerial brethren, on the
charge of unchastity, Rev. DIR. Sun
derland, the Presidents pastor, de-
Tending the accused-the verdict be-
ing "not proven after the old
Scotch fashion. This was unsatis-
factory to the defendant-though
considering himself partially vindi-
cated-and he appeals the case.
Pending this action, the people Of
historic Manassas, were Mr.. Todd
lives and breaches, hold an indigna-
ton meeting, produce some damag
ing affidavits, which they aIlege
had been suppressed by the clerical
court, and adopt resolutions de-
nouncing Mr.. Todd, as moral
leper and advising him to leave for
the good of the community as well
as for his own. The fallen minister
Is aggressive and determined the
ont come of the affair will be watch
ed with great and general interest.
There are those who say that the
treatment of Mr.. Todd is an out
burst Of sectional feeling, as be is a
Northern man and has Southern
congregation.